TU in the News 2006 Archive
Business students taught manners
The Sun, Dec. 3
Hanah Cho reported that colleges are adding etiquette training to their offerings because the job market increasingly demands it. Cho noted that TU has held campuswide events on networking and dressing for the workplace. Laleh Malek, director of professional experience in the College of Business and Economics, said, "That's part of our jobs to prepare them even though it's not the book stuff. We are moving with those changes." She added that the business school is looking into holding a mock business dinner that includes teaching students table manners.
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Common Realities
The Sun, November 26
Reporter Stephanie Shapiro looked at the realities of daily life as depicted in ordinary people's blogs, as well as the value of those online ramblings to market researchers, art and culture critics, and academics. Danny Mydlack, Department of Electronic Media and Film, told Shapiro that "within that pack of artists and publishers and vloggers, there are just statistically a number that are quite inspired and quite perceptive and create searingly fresh visions of reality."
Two's a crowd
The Washington Post, November 25
Reporter Laura Sessions Stepp spoke to Jerry Dieringer, Housing and Residence Life, about campus roommate conflicts. Dieringer, who like his counterparts is seeing "far more roommate issues than a generation ago," says he tells complaining students (and parents) the same thing: "You come to college to meet new people who are different from you. You need to try to work with the roommate you've been assigned." Most of them, he said, do work things out.
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Erasing Divide, College Leaders Take to Blogging
The New York Times, November 21
Diana Jean Schemo cited Robert L. Caret as one of "the dozen or so presidents who are vaulting the digital and generational divide and starting their own blogs." She noted that Bob's Blog has focused on such topics as summer courses, studying abroad, joining clubs and helping to spruce up the campus. Caret told her that a big part of fundraising is "creating an atmosphere of excitement, of a campus that is going places." The blog, he said, "adds to that."
University System of Maryland to expand
Hagerstown Herald-Mail, November 2
TU will join other USM institutions at Hagerstown, Md., in 2007 when it offers bachelor's and master's programs in nursing. Reporter Karen Hanna noted that the new USM campus is growing rapidly, with 400 students now enrolled. " We want to make sure the programs we're bringing here have job growth potential," said Executive Director C. David Warner III. He added that the number of participating universities is likely to rise again in 2008.
Tests still in play for admission
Baltimore Messenger, November 1
Reporters Mohammed Mansour and Adam Bednar spoke to several area administrators about recent decisions by some colleges to make SAT scores optional on applications. Among those interviewed was Louise Shulack, TU's admissions director, who said the SAT "Is becoming less emphasized in college admissions. Citing a more diverse population, she added, " I'm not sure the SAT maintains the same validity that it did 30 or 40 years ago."
Cherry Hill Learning Zone Initiative in for 'long haul'
The Examiner, October 31
Reporter Kelly Carson spoke with Raymond Lorion, dean of the College of Education, and Jeffrey Grotsky, senior researcher for community partnerships, about the Cherry Hill Learning Zone Initiative's accomplishments over the past 18 months. Grotsky explained that TU, Baltimore City Public Schools, city government and local businesses "formed a unique partnership with the focus on doing whatever we could to make Cherry Hill a great place. We sent a message to the community that we are here for the long haul and are doing what we can to provide support."
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Towson inks deal for incubator space
Baltimore Business Journal, October 31
Alan Zibel reported that TU signed a lease for 5,100 square feet of office space at Terrace Dale to house the Towson University Business Globalization Center, an incubator designed to attract companies selling products overseas and international companies doing business here. He noted that President Robert L. Caret was an advocate for the incubator and that the venture is part of TU's approach to forging stronger ties with the regional business community.
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Towson angles to draw males
The Sun, October 29
Education reporter Gadi Dechter wrote about TU's Academic Special Admissions Program, or ASAP, an innovative program designed to accept students whose high school grades—roughly a 2.8 average—would otherwise be too low for TU but who also have SAT scores of about 1200, or 100 points more than usual. Although the majority of beneficiaries of this program are male, of the roughly 125 freshmen enrolled in the pilot program so far, almost a quarter have been women. Dechter's story, which appeared on the front page above the fold, was picked up by the Associated Press and The Chronicle of Higher Education news blog. Scott Jaschik of online publication Inside Higher Ed wrote a follow-up article on November 2.
Opinion: How the private sector can improve city public schools
Baltimore Examiner, October 24
Howard Baetjer Jr., Department of Economics, offered a modest, but serious, proposal for private donors wishing to spur structural changes in the city school system: withdraw all support and use it instead to help low-income parents send their children to some of the area's inexpensive private and parochial schools, thereby funding the public schools' competition. He added, "Baltimore City public schools don't need more money to improve; they need an incentive."
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Route 43 could be road to new jobs
The Sun, October 23
Daraius Irani, RESI, was among those consulted by reporter Julie Scharper for her story about the opening of the $75 million extension of White Marsh Boulevard (Maryland Route 43), which winds through one of the few large undeveloped commercial tracts on the East Coast accessible to Interstate 95. Irani said he couldn't think of a comparable project during the past 10 years in terms of industrial opportunities, estimating that 5.500 to 11,000 jobs could be created on the site.
Education partnership adds four year degrees to Harford College
The Daily Record, October 19
Towson University and Harford Community College recently announced the creation of two unique partnerships: a "two plus two" program that will allow Harford students seamless transfer to TU, and an initiative that will allow students to obtain a four-year TU degree entirely from a satellite location at HCC's campus. "I think we've begun to realize we are becoming a metropolitan university," TU assistant to the provost Bill Rueling explained to Daily Record business writer Dori Berman. "It's a win-win."
State eyeing student interns to fill high-security positions
The Examiner, October 19
Dyan Brasington, director of economic and workforce development, recently spoke with the Examiner's Matthew Santoni about the role of students in Maryland's evolving workforce. As the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) initiative brings thousands of new govenrmnent jobs to Maryland, the demand for workers with proper security clearances will rise dramatically. How can Maryland prepare for the increased demand? A draft report prepared by TU and DBED recommends that the state identify future workers who have been prescreened through student internships or previous jobs.
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Op/ed: Politization of war didn't start with Iraq
The Sun, October 18
Michael Korzi, Department of Political Science, described the Roosevelt administration's sparring with Republican leaders during World War II as the 1944 elections approached, noting that "the example suggests that exploiting war for political gain knows no political or partisan boundaries. We can disagree about the mixture ... but we should neither expect nor desire war to be beyond the pale in political debate. History suggests that this kind of thinking is folly."
School teachers trained to carry weapons
WJZ-TV, October 17
Reporter Gigi Barnett interviewed Raymond Lorion, dean of the College of Education, about the drastic measures some school officials are considering in response to the recent string of school shootings, including training teachers in Salt Lake City to carry guns inside and outside the classroom. Lorion said, "I think the idea of putting guns in schools is a terrible idea," noting that "arming teachers is a real problem for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is it complicates even further the teacher's role."
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The dating game's senior circuit
The Sun, October 15
Wayne Nelson and Donna Wagner, Gerontology Program, spoke with reporter Julie Scharper about the evolving dynamics of the senior citizen dating scene. Nelson noted that "some men who have never been players, in their 70s, in a retirement home, can become players. They're a hot commodity" because the pool of eligible senior males is smaller than eligible females. Wagner observed that with baby boomers reaching their golden years, "things are more open now. People are able to pursue what they want, and before they would have felt guilty about even thinking about it."
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Howard, Baltimore County chambers honor business leaders
The Examiner, October 13
Staff writer Earle Eldridge reported that the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce recently announced the two newest inductees to its Business Hall of Fame, attorney Robert Cannon and TU President Robert L. Caret. "Both Mr. Cannon and Dr. Caret are well-known throughout the Baltimore region for their tremendous leadership, forward thinking and community involvement," Laura Borgerding, the chamber's chairman, told Eldridge. An induction ceremony and dinner is scheduled for November 9 at the Sheraton Baltimore North Hotel in Towson.
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The hometown touch
The Sun, October 11
Babu Baradwaj, Department of Finance, was one of the experts reporter Hanah Cho consulted about the sale of Mercantile Bankshares Corp. to PNC Financial Services Group. "PNC is coming in here despite the presence of Bank of America, Wachovia and M&T, so there is still a lot of scope," Baradwaj said. "It's not necessarily a bad thing that a larger bank will come in. It will open up services that may not be available at small community banks."
Area schools earn mixed grades on graduation report card
The Examiner, October 7
Citing recently released NCAA graduation success rates (GSRs), reporter Ron Snyder identified TU's GSR as one of Central Maryland's best. "Towson has a tradition of recruiting quality student-athletes," said Athletic Director Mike Hermann, "and I think this report verifies that claim. I also have to credit the coaches who understand what a student-athlete is supposed to be and recruit those that are serious about getting their degrees."
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BRAC seen as boon to Baltimore
The Sun, October 5
Reporter Mary Gail Hare covered the Maryland Business Council’s BRAC panel discussion, presented October 4 at TU. She wrote that the panelists pointed to what Baltimore stood to gain from the military base realignment by virtue of its housing stock, public transit and cultural amenities.“The city is right in the heart of both parts of BRAC," said Daraius Irani, RESI, "and it has infrastructure in place.”
How to help children cope with school tragedy
WBALChannel.com, October 4
Mindy Feinberg, Department of Psychology, spoke about how school officials and parents can help children in Maryland sort through the recent series of school shootings around the nation. She said that the way parents respond to confusing questions can go a long way toward helping children try to understand what's happened. Feinberg suggested parents strive for "a good balance between providing opportunities for them to talk about things and modeling for them how to do that."
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Nursing school faculty shortage imminent, study says
WTOP Radio News, September 29
Marilyn Halstead, graduate program director, Department of Nursing, told Capital News Service reporter L. Reed Walton about the critical need for nurses trained at the Ph.D. and Doctor of Science level. "If we want to expand—and we are expanding—there is an ongoing need for faculty at the doctorally prepared level," she said. Walton noted that of the Maryland schools offering graduate nursing education, only TU and the University of Maryland at Baltimore offer teaching certificates in nursing and master's degrees with a nurse educator focus.
A rapid age shift in the population
The Washington Post, September 28
Donna Wagner, Gerontology Program, explained to staff writer Aruna Jain that as the baby boomers hit their golden years a large number of them will move into suburbs such as Montgomery County. "It's the first time a majority of the elderly has lived in the suburbs. Prior to that most of the older people lived in the cities.... And now they're growing old," Wagner said. Jain noted that Montgomery County officials are starting to develop a "senior strategic plan" to address the needs of this growing elderly population.
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Rescuing math and science
The Sun, September 25
The editorial lauded Baltimore-area partnerships between philanthropy and academia to help ease the state's perpetual shortage of math and science teachers. Citing complementary approaches by UMBC and TU, the paper said the efforts, if successful, could be expanded and replicated to address a critical need. TU is using a $1 million gift from Willard Hackerman, head of the Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., to create a mathematics and science academy.
Harford teacher gains national honor
The Sun, September 14
TU alumna Diana Kolego is the 2006 recipient of the U.S. Department of Education's prestigious No Child Left Behind American Star of Teaching award. Kolego, who has been teaching for 10 years, earned her B.S. in Elementary Education at Towson and is currently pursuing a master's degree in teaching at TU. Sun reporter Cassandra A. Fortin explains how Kolego's dedication to her work has impacted her colleagues, her students, and future teachers at Towson University.
Reducing costs can help pay for college
The Sun, September 10
Personal finance columnist Eileen Ambrose consulted administrators at area colleges and universities seeking information about steps that high school juniors and seniors could take to potentially lop off thousands of dollars in future tuition. Vince Pecora, Financial Aid, advised students to make sure they are academically prepared, since having to take remedial classes in college only increases the overall cost of their education.
Lessons for the grown-ups
The Sun, September 3
Raymond Lorion, dean of the College of Education, spoke with reporter Scott Carlson about the difficulties and tensions between parents and teachers. Carlson noted that professors at TU's College of Education instruct future teachers in how to prevent conflicts with parents and how to deal with conflict once it arises. Lorion said that the college advises student teachers not to assume that parents understand teachers' jobs or the pressures they are under. "You have to listen. To the extent that you listen, you can begin to find some common ground," he said.
Chinese now included in high schools' curriculum
Baltimore Examiner , September 2
The Examiner's Ron Cassie reported on the inauguration of a groundbreaking Chinese language program at Dulaney High School being coordinated through Towson University. Mandarin instructor Wei Min Hu is teaching 18 seniors in the first Chinese-language course ever offered in Baltimore County. Salvatore Zumbo, Department of Foreign Languages, said that teaching Chinese at the high school level will be a change for Hu, who will also be teaching and lecturing this year at TU.
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Uniforms take pressure off
The Sun, August 31
Jeffrey N. Grotsky, College of Education, offered his views on Meade Middle's decision to become the first public school in Anne Arundel County to require students to wear uniforms. Grotsky told reporter Alica Butler that the idea behind school uniforms is predicated on the issue of safety. "Children wearing them are easily identified on the way to school and in the school," he said. "The other is that it takes away the distraction of who's wearing what."
Office caution: Mind manners, not gadgets
The Sun, August 21
Shohreh Kaynama, College of Business and Economics, was among the employers and employees consulted by reporter Hanah Cho for a feature about tech etiquette in the workplace. Kaynama said workers feel so much pressure to stay connected that they have their cell phones and other devices with them wherever they are. "It used to be doctors were the only ones on call," she observed. "Now everyone's on call."
Towson professor's work to focus on Bay microbes
The Baltimore Examiner, August 12, 2006
Dr. Joy Watts, assistant professor of biology, has been named the first Jess and Mildred Fisher Endowed Chair in the Biological and Physical Sciences. Her research as chair will include studies of the Chesapeake Bay. "This research is not abstract, ivory tower stuff," Gerald Intemann, dean of the Fisher College of Science and Mathematics explained to Examiner staff writer Ron Cassie, "It affects the lives of people in Maryland." As the Fisher Endowed Chair, Watts will receive $20,000 a year for the next three years for research equipment, travel expenses, and undergraduate student support.
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O'Malley, Towson U. lift brushes at city schools
The Baltimore Examiner, August 9, 2006
TU faculty and staff recently ditched a day at the office in favor of a painting party at Baltimore City's Cherry Hill and Patapsco elementary schools. The 150 volunteers worked alongside Baltimore City Mayor Martin O'Malley, paint rollers in hand, as part of the mayor's "Believe in Our Schools" program—a three-year-old project dedicated to refurbishing city schools. Examiner staff writer Ron Cassie spoke with TU's Jennifer Gajewski about the university's involvement in this project, and the ongoing partnership between TU and the Cherry Hill community.
Baltimore County photojournalist documents relief efforts in Beirut
The Baltimore Examiner, August 8, 2006
While thousands of Americans were fleeing Lebanon and Israel, photojournalist and TU alumnus David Snyder was making his way to the Catholic Relief Services offices in Beirut. Snyder is a former employee of the Baltimore-based non-profit and has reconnected with the organization to document its current humanitarian campaign for the displaced in Lebanon. "I've come in to help photograph the relief effort and help tell the story," Snyder told Examiner reporter Ron Cassie. Snyder, who holds a Master of Science in Professional Writing from Towson, has traveled to over 30 countries with CRS, covering humanitarian crises in Kosovo, Sudan, Indonesia and Pakistan.
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Teaching kids, strengthening community
The Baltimore Sun, August 6, 2006
The second-graders in a summer enrichment class at Dr. Carter G. Woodson Elementary/Middle are drawn to 17-year-old Alleah Patrick. The incoming TU freshman wipes away their tears when they argue and tries to keep them focused on their schoolwork. Patrick is one of 22 Towson students dispatched to public schools in Baltimore's Cherry Hill neighborhood this summer, and one of about 75 expected to tutor there when the academic year begins. She is a small part in a burgeoning experiment pairing the university, city government, the school system and neighborhood groups in an attempt to revitalize Cherry Hill, and to bring more and better-prepared teachers to Baltimore's schools.
Not coming home
Baltimore Magazine, August
Writer Jim Duffy interviewed three Baltimore families who lost loved ones serving in Iraq, including Tracy Miller of Towson University's Academic Advising Center. Miller spoke about how her son, Marine Cpl. Nicholas Ziolkowski, who died in Fallujah, Iraq, in November 2004, motivated her to create the Nick Ziolkowski Scholarship Endowment at TU, run a college fair at TU geared toward veterans returning from service, and to campaign to represent District 42 in the Maryland House of Delegates. "Once the spark ignited, it was like my life fell into a different place," she said.
Ehrlich, O'Malley offer debate series
The Baltimore Sun , July 25, 2006
As the gubernatorial election season heats up in Maryland, the front-running candidates Bob Ehrlich and Martin O'Malley hope for a civilized series of debates. Sun reporter Andrew Green spoke with TU professor of political rhetoric Richard Vatz about the impact of debate on each candidate's bid for governor.
Student energizes the news blog biz
USA Today, July 9, 2006
TU senior Brian Stelter has been in the business of blogging for over two years—and his hard work is certainly paying off. Stelter, a mass communication major and author of the media-insider blog TVNewser, has been lauded for creating what NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams called "the closest thing to the bible of what's going on in our industry." USA Today's Peter Johnson highlights Stelter and the blog that insiders consider to be the water cooler of the television news industry.
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Big moves on campus
Baltimore Business Journal, July 7, 2006
Next spring, TU will implement an $800-million campus redesign—a project that will transform Towson University into a pedestrian-oriented, residential campus that is more integrated with the surrounding community. State-wide undergraduate enrollment is expected to increase by 35% over the next 10 years and, as TU president Bob Caret explained to the BBJ, Towson is already preparing for the changes. More beds, more green space and a more inviting visage are just a few of the ways TU is planning for the future.
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President v press: Rumbling row
BBC News, June 28, 2006
BBC correspondent Richard Allen Greene spoke with TU political science professor Martha Joynt Kumar about the controversy surrounding a recent New York Times story that exposed the U.S. government's monitoring of international financial transactions. The Times argues it acted in the public interest; the Bush administration charges it has lost a valuable weapon against terrorism. Professor Kumar, an expert in White House affairs, weighs in on the "complicated relationship" between U.S. presidents and the press.
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Towson physicist taps undergrads for cutting-edge nanotech work
Maryland Daily Record, June 23, 2006
A physics professor needs to know more than just his Newton and Einstein these days. David M. Schaefer realizes he’s got to be up on Freud as well. Over the years, Schaefer, who has a doctorate in physics, has added a bit of psychology to his repertoire while helping to boost Towson University’s scientific research reputation, particularly the hot corner of nanotechnology.
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Towson, UB merge cultures as they prepare for new MBA
Baltimore Business Journal, June 23, 2006
Last November, the Maryland State Higher Education Commission approved the creation of a joint MBA program between Towson and the University of Baltimore. Just seven months later, the program is an example of unprecedented cooperation between the two institutions. Contributing writer Rebecca Logan explores the extraordinary progress that has been made in this ground-breaking partnership.
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Celebrating fairer sex
The Baltimore Sun, June 22, 2006
The Maryland Arts Fesitval returns to Towson's newly renovated Center for the Arts with "A Celebration of Women." This year's festival marks the first in its 25-year history that the program has had a theme. "I wanted to tie in the humanities departments and have some fun," festival director David Bielenberg explained to Baltimore Sun reporter Sarah Marston. The performances, discussions, and lectures—which range from a burlesque workshop to Broadway plays—continue through July 23.
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